The Dating Game
by JustGrace13
Summary: Rukia Kuchiki is an actress losing popularity with her fans. In order to stay relevant, her agent recommends that she star in a new celebrity reality show: The Dating Game. The competition will prove difficult, but her hired "boyfriend," fitness trainer Ichigo Kurosaki, may prove even more so. Couples:IchiRuki, GinxRangiku, UryuuxOrihime, RenjixTatsuki, IkkakuxYumishika, HitsuxMomo
1. Week 0

Hello! This is the first chapter of something that should end up being 7 chapters total. These first few have been sitting on my computer for a while, so hopefully the rest get finished up soon. It's something different from what I normally write, think: reality tv. There'll be some substance too, but mostly just fun :) I'd love to hear what you all think!

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**Week 0**

**Long Beach, California**

"You're joking, right?" Rukia questioned. She couldn't believe the words coming from her agent's mouth.

"I'm completely serious," Byakuya said. "I know it's hard to hear, but ever since your little 'incident,' you're a lot harder to sell for lead roles." The older man put a sympathetic hand on his sister's shoulder. "I'm trying to help. As your agent, if you don't do this and reclaim some important people's attention, I'm going to have to put an end to your acting. You've done some great work, but at this point, you're costing me a lot of money."

The violet-eyed actress sighed, thinking the situation over.

"Fine. I'll do the stupid reality show."

"Smart choice." Byakuya nodded. "I'll get you an interview this weekend."

"Wait a minute," Rukia interrupted. "How can I be on a reality show about relationships when I don't even have a boyfriend."

"Interesting point," the older man said thoughtfully. "I'll ask around and see what I can come up with."

"No way! You're the last person I want choosing my partner." The actress refused, cringing at the idea.

"That's awfully bold for someone about to be unemployed," he said, shooting her a look.

Rukia frowned. "Fine."

"Don't worry," Byakuya said soothingly. "I'll have it all arranged by tomorrow. You'll be back on top in no time."

Rukia groaned internally. She certainly hoped her brother was right.

**Los Angeles, California**

EVICTION NOTICE

_The Occupant(s) of this room (Room __405__) hereby has __5__ days in which to remove all possessions and return all room keys and copies to the Building Supervisor._

_Any articles remaining will be dealt with at the discretion of the Building Supervisor, at the tenant's expense._

PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE THIS NOTICE

Ichigo peeled the paper off his front door and tossed it in the trash once he was inside.

He grabbed a pre-made smoothie from the refrigerator and collapsed onto the black leather couch that sat in the living room of the apartment.

He sipped on the chilly berry mix and wondered what he should do about the eviction notice. He was two months behind on rent and, unless he got a new client in the next 24 hours, he'd never be able to come up with the money.

Even with all his experience as a personal trainer, Ichigo had still yet to break into the celebrity world. He had hoped that moving to L.A. would give him access to a better-paying client base, but no one had even given him a chance yet.

After racking his brain, the orange-haired boy reluctantly admitted to himself that he would have to ask to stay with his best, and only, friend in L.A.

He got off the couch and stretched before locating his cell phone. But, just as he picked it up, it began ringing.

The small screen read 'Chad,' and Ichigo chuckled to himself.

"Hey, man," he answered. "I was just about to call you."

"Is everything ok?" The deep voice on the other end asked.

"Yeah," Ichigo answered quickly. "I just... Well, I was wondering if you would mind me visiting for a few days."

Chad remained silent for a few moments before responding, "A friend of mine is actually looking to hire someone for a fitness challenge. Housing would be provided."

Ichigo stared at the phone in shock. "Seriously? That's perfect! Tell him I'll take it!"

There was another long pause before Chad began again. "You should know that you'd be working with another person... a partner, for the entirety of the challenge."

Ichigo frowned, before shrugging it off. "No problem. I can carry both of us to the finish line if I have to."

Chad chuckled. "She's certainly small enough to carry. Your partner would be Rukia Kuchiki."

"You mean the actress? Since when does that midget do anything more than smile at the camera?"

"My friend thinks it'll be good publicity for her," Chad said simply.

Ichigo thought about this for a moment. "She's the one that was sleeping with her director, right?"

"That's what people seem to think," Chad said.

Ichigo sighed and tried to weigh his options. "All right," he finally agreed. "I'll do it. Besides, it's not like we have to get along or anything. Thanks, man. I owe you."

"Anytime," Chad responded before ending the call.

More motivated than he had been in weeks, Ichigo threw the empty smoothie cup in the sink and went back outside to his car. He was heading back to the gym, eager to focus on winning this competition and finally getting his name out as a celebrity fitness trainer.

**Long Beach (the next day)**

"So... You don't need a fitness expert, but someone to pretend to be this kid's boyfriend?" Ichigo attempted to clarify. He was meeting Byakuya and Rukia Kuchiki for the first time and already had concerns about their proposed plan.

"Kid?" Rukia protested, about to give this 'fitness expert' a piece of his mind, before Byakuya interrupted.

"Exactly." He nodded. "You two will pretend to be in a relationship in order to win the competition, giving Miss Kuchiki more positive media attention, and giving you a chance for some networking. I was under the impression that you were hoping to expand to a ...more elite clientele."

The orange-haired man considered his options. Finally, he answered. "I'll do it, but when we win, I want the $100,000 prize. All of it."

Rukia was almost out of her seat again when Byakuya put a hand out. "That will be fine. We have no interest in the prize money anyway. We just ask that you do your best to get yourself and Miss Kuchiki to the finale."

Ichigo grinned. "I doubt the show producers will be able to find any 'celebrity' who could beat me in a physical competition."

The dark haired actress rolled her eyes at her new 'boyfriend's' cocky attitude.

"That's what we're betting on." Byakuya said, smiling as he shook the trainer's hand. "Now, if you two will take these folders and memorize them before your audition on Saturday. They contain everything you need to know about each other to pretend to be a real couple and pass the interview."

The pair sighed as they took their respective folders and opened them.

"You were really in 'The Warrior'?" Ichigo asked, flipping through the papers

"I was." the actress smiled proudly. "Did you see it?"

"I hated it," the trainer said, making a disgusted face.

"Well, at least I have a job." Rukia said, obviously offended. "Besides, who actually lives in Los Angeles besides washed up D-listers and wannabe artists?"

Ichigo rolled her eyes. "Sorry, I don't have a million-dollar summer home on the beach. L.A.'s a central location, close to my clients. Plenty of respectable people live there."

"If you say so," Rukia said doubtfully.

"If you say so, _dear_," Byakuya corrected, causing his younger sister to make a face like she was getting sick.

"Yeah, sugarplum, you really should start being nicer to me," Ichigo teased.

"Just you wait, honey bear, I'll show you-"

"Anyway," Byakuya quickly interjected. "That's enough for today. You two can get better acquainted tomorrow after you've gone through these folders."

The agent watched, slightly amused, as Ichigo left and Rukia went off to sulk.

Fortunately, the show was supposed to be about mending broken bonds and fixing relationship issues anyway.

Unfortunately, Byakuya thought to himself, he wasn't entirely sure that these two would able to make it to the end of the show without killing each other.

**The Studio**

"Well, Mr. Kusosaki, Miss Kuchiki, it seems that you would indeed qualify for the show as far as credentials and celebrity status go," a short man, one of the producers, informed them. "If you'll just follow me, we'll move on to the interview process and then you are free to go."

Ichigo and Rukia followed the man down a hallway with two rooms. He gestured for Rukia to go through the door on the right while he and Ichigo disappeared behind the door on the left.

.

"Question 1: What is your relationship with Ichigo Kurosaki?" Another man asked once Rukia had taken a seat at the table in the small room.

"He's my boyfriend," she lied casually.

.

"Mr. Kurosaki, how long have you and Miss Kuchiki been dating?" The producer asked in the other room.

"Please, call me Ichigo." He grinned charmingly before reciting the information he had memorized just days before. "Rukia and I have been together about three months now."

.

"What would you say is the biggest issue in your relationship with Ichigo?"

Rukia pretended to think before reciting her answer, "Sometimes he gets jealous if he thinks I'm paying too much attention to other men."

.

"Do you have any reason to be jealous?"

Ichigo sighed, as if he were genuinely upset. "I think she does it on purpose, just to make me mad. I'm around other women all the time for work, and I really don't see any of them as anything more than friends, but I guess it bothers her that I have to spend so much time away from her."

Then, he grinned, adding, "and I mean, who wouldn't be jealous if their boyfriend looked like this?"

.

"What would you say is Ichigo's worst quality?"

"Arrogance," Rukia answered confidently, before reconsidering. "Actually, his stubbornness is probably the worst. No, never mind, it's definitely his moodiness."

.

"In your opinion, what is Miss Kuchiki's worst quality?"

"Well," Ichigo started, "she's super cranky all the time and she always acts like she's so much smarter than me. And she's a total hard ass, like, no fun at all. Ever. ...Oh, you meant just one?"

.

"What are you hoping to gain from this experience?"

Rukia reminded herself that 'publicity' was not an appropriate answer. "I think this would be a really good opportunity for me and Ichigo to spend some serious time together to work on our relationship. I just love him so much; I want to work out a way for us to be together without fighting all the time.

.

"All right, Mr. Kurosaki. That will be all. You and Miss Kuchiki will receive a call in 2 or 3 business days either confirming your spot in "The Dating Game" or declining your application. Have a nice day."

.

"Well?" Byakuya asked once the 'couple' returned to the car.

Ichigo and Rukia looked at each other before looking back at the businessman.

"I answered everything correctly," Rukia said confidently.

"I aced it," Ichigo said, grinning.

Byakuya smiled to himself as he started the car and drove away. Maybe they had a chance after all.

**Long Beach**

_Dear Mr. Kurosaki and Miss Kuchiki,_

_We are pleased to inform you that-_

"We got it! Brother! I'm going to be on the show!" The actress exclaimed as the agent rushed into the room.

"Wonderful." He smiled, pulling out his phone to call the physical trainer. "Yes, Ichigo? I have some good news."

**The House**

"I expect exemplary behavior from both of you." Byakuya reminded the pair as they pulled up to the large mansion that would serve as the main set for the show. "Don't forget what's at stake here."

Rukia and Ichigo got out of the car and carried their luggage up to the front door. Already they could hear loud voices echoing on the inside.

The pretend couple exchanged hesitant looks before Ichigo went to knock on the door.

"You here for the show?" A voice asked from the side of the porch.

"Yes," Rukia answered. "Are you competing as well?"

The two men had seven empty glasses between them.

"You bet your ass," the first one said, an obviously aggressive man with a shaved head. "I'm Ikkaku."

"And I'm Yumichika!" The other man added in a singsong voice.

"Ichigo," the trainer said, putting a hand up in greeting.

The more feminine man tilted his head to the side, pursing his lips and looking Ichigo over. Then, he smiled sweetly.

"Oh, honey, he's cute," he said, nudging Ikkaku.

The bald man raised an eyebrow and looked at his partner. "No way."

"Oh, come on! He's perfect!" Yumichika crossed his arms and pouted. Then, he whispered conspiratorially to Ichigo. "We've been looking for a third person to spice things up, if you know what I mean. You in?"

Ichigo's jaw dropped and Rukia fought valiantly to contain the fits of laughter threatening to overcome her.

"I think we should go inside now," Ichigo said quickly, pulling Rukia into the huge house behind him.

"Oh my god," the actress said between giggles. "I can't believe you turned them down!"

"Shut up," he hissed, noticing that the other couples in the house had taken notice of their sudden entrance.

"Rukia!" A girly voice exclaimed, causing the petite woman to groan.

"Orihime, I didn't know you would be here!" The actress tried to smile as she addressed the bubbly redhead.

"Yep!" She said, smiling. "I'm trying to fix Uryuu's commitment issues."

"How nice," Rukia said drily.

The quiet fashion designer gave a small nod at the mention of his name, but he didn't seem interested in talking.

"And who's this?" Orihime asked excitedly, looking at Ichigo.

"This," Rukia grabbed Ichigo's hand in an attempt to look convincing, "is my boyfriend, Ichigo."

Orihime raised an eyebrow. "Well, he's certainly better than that Kaien... But don't you think he's a little ...tall, for you?"

The dark haired actress rolled her eyes. "Ichigo and I are perfectly happy. How are you and Uryuu, by the way?"

Orihime giggled and displayed the extravagant ring on her finger. "Just wonderful! We're still engaged, as you know. Of course, it never hurts to keep your options open!" She looked Ichigo up and down approvingly, before smirking at Rukia. "Except for you, of course. You might do better keeping some things closed."

Ichigo couldn't believe the girl's catty comment. Rukia looked like she was about to punch the other actress but, fortunately, another girl approached them.

"Hey guys, I just wanted to let you know that dinner's ready."

Uryuu got up and escorted Orihime out to the dining room, leaving Rukia and Ichigo with the stranger.

"I'm Rangiku, by the way. You two are the last ones here; everyone else is already eating."

Ichigo and Rukia introduced themselves and Rangiku led them to the dining room.

"That's Tatsuki and Renji, complete jocks, but they're pretty cool if you can get either of them alone." She pointed consecutively at the couples seated around the large table. "And then the Barbie doll is Yumichika, with his boyfriend, Ikkaku. Momo and Hitsugaya are kind of hard to describe... And there's my Gin."

Rangiku sat down next to the man she pointed out as her fiancé, and Rukia and Ichigo took seats on the other side of the table.

"Rukia Kuchiki," Rukia said, introducing herself as they sat down. "And this is Ichigo Kurosaki."

Gin smiled widely. "I've heard you can build abs of steel in just a month," he commented politely, before addressing Rukia. "I loved you in 'Kon: A Lion's Tale.' Absolutely brilliant work, and the humor was so intricately scripted."

"How kind! I'm glad you enjoyed it," Rukia responded eagerly, simultaneously shooting a glare at Ichigo for scoffing at the compliment.

"Are you guys ready for therapy tomorrow?" Rangiku asked between bites of food.

"I guess we'll see," Rukia said, shrugging.

"Yeah, we definitely need it," Ichigo joked, nudging the girl besides him.

Rukia rolled her eyes at the joke and the orange-haired boy threw his hands up, highlighting that Rukia had just proved his point for him.

"We all need it," Momo said diplomatically. "That's why we're here."

Ichigo and Rukia glanced at each other briefly, each thinking about their own reasons for being there.

"To the coming weeks," Gin toasted, holding up his glass. "May we last as long as we can, and learn even more!"

"Yeah," Rukia said unenthusiastically, raising her own glass.

"Here, here!" Renji chimed in, before taking a long drink.

Ichigo winced as he took a sip. The beer was cheap and bitter, but he gulped it down before setting the glass back on the table. He'd need it, he realized, if he wanted to make it through these next few weeks without going crazy.

Next to him, Rukia's wine glass was already half empty. She was watching, slightly horrified, as Tatsuki and Renji made out heavily, while still continuing to eat.

Her glass was quickly emptied and refilled, and Ichigo realized his 'girlfriend' was thinking the exact same thing.

"The Dating Game" was going to be a bigger challenge than either of them had anticipated.

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Thank you for reading this far! I also have lots of romance/angst/shorter stories on my profile too if that's more your speed :) See you next chapter!


	2. Week 1

Happy Friday! Future updates will not be this quick, but I hope you can still enjoy the silliness

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**Week 1**

**Couples Therapy**

"Good morning, you two," an older woman greeted warmly as Rukia and Ichigo entered the therapy room. Lights and cameras surrounded the room, intrusive yet common enough that they became easy to ignore after a while.

It was their first official day on "The Dating Game."

"Mmm," Ichigo grumbled in response, still half-asleep.

"Good morning," Rukia said pleasantly, shaking the therapist's hand before she sat down.

"My name is Dr. Yoruichi and my job here is to lead both the private and group therapy sessions. Group therapy and the physical challenges will happen alternately throughout the week, but these private therapy meetings will always occur at the beginning of the week so I can track your progress." The woman paused to make sure the couple understood before she continued.

"Is there anything you would like to start with? Any recent fights or arguments?"

"She kicks in her sleep!" Ichigo blurted out, finally interested in the conversation now that there was an opportunity to complain.

Rukia swatted his pointed finger away and scowled. "You were practically on top of me! How else was I supposed to get you to move?"

"Maybe if you had asked politely," Ichigo said sullenly, before succumbing to a deep yawn and falling silent again.

"That's a good start." Dr. Yoruichi nodded encouragingly. "Now, Rukia, why do you feel uncomfortable with Ichigo being close to you in bed?"

The dark haired girl froze at the question. She hadn't expected such probing questions so soon.

Fortunately, Ichigo gave their rehearsed answer for her. "She'll do anything to make me mad."

"It seems like she wants more of your attention and feels that upsetting you is the only way to get it." The older woman looked thoughtful. "Have you ever cheated while you two were together?"

"Never," Ichigo answered firmly.

Rukia, thoroughly adopting her new role, rolled her eyes and acted like she didn't believe the man sitting next to her.

"What makes you doubt Ichigo?" Dr. Yoruichi asked the petite actress.

"He's around other women all the time." Rukia crossed her arms. "They wear those tiny little exercise outfits and they're sweaty and he's touching them all the time and I'm supposed to believe he doesn't enjoy it?"

"That's my job!" Ichigo fumed, escalating their pretend argument. "What's your excuse? You're always flirting with other men, on and off camera!"

Rukia shrugged nonchalantly. "My responsibility as an actress is to make people believe that my feelings are real. Is it really my fault that I'm so good at my craft?"

The trainer opened his mouth to protest, "You know goddamn well-"

"Ok, ok," the therapist said calmingly. "This is good communication, but I want you both to focus on two things this week. First, watch your tempers. Nothing will get accomplished if you just scream at each other."

Dr. Yoruichi scribbled her instructions on a piece of paper. "Second, you need to be more open with each other. Fortunately, this week's theme is 'Honesty,' so you'll have plenty of time to work on these issues."

Rukia took the paper and put it in her pocket. "Thanks," she said, trying to maintain her flustered facade.

"This is just the start of your journey," Dr. Yoruichi said optimistically. "Work with me, and I'm sure we can transform your relationship into something even more wonderful than it is now."

Ichigo remained annoyed as he stood up, but, once they were outside the office, he couldn't suppress a small chuckle.

"I'm impressed, pumpkin. Maybe you're not such a terrible actress after all," he teased, nudging the shorter girl playfully.

**Challenge**

"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to our first group challenge!" The announcer greeted them all cheerfully. "Now, as you know, my name is Urahara and it's my job here on 'The Dating Game' to help you all fix the problems in your relationships and prove your love to our audience."

The couples had all taken their seats, with each couple sitting on either side of a podium with a big red button on top.

"For this week's theme, 'Honesty', we'll be playing a little game as a way to introduce you to our viewers at home and let them get to know you. For this first round, we'll start off easy. I will ask each couple a question. Either partner can answer, but that answer must match the answer we received from the other partner before the show. Everyone understand?"

All the couples nodded, some looking more confident than others. Ichigo grinned, feeling competitive as always, and Rukia had on her game face.

"Remember," she whispered, "if you don't know the answer, don't press the buzzer. Just let me handle it, ok?"

"Yeah, whatever," he shrugged. "Don't worry about it, we're golden. I doubt any of the other couples had folders of information to memorize."

Rukia looked at her partner warily and hoped he was right.

"Couple 1! Momo and Hitsugaya! One of you, tell me, what is your partner's secret fear?"

The brown-haired woman slammed her hand down on the red button. "He's scared of spiders!"

Her white-haired partner looked rather displeased but Urahara beamed. "That is correct! 1 point for you two! Now, next question: Yumichika and Ikkaku, what is your partner's favorite childhood memory?"

Yumichika raised his hand in excitement, but Ikkaku got to the buzzer first. "His mom gave him a dress when he was six!"

Yumichika blushed brightly, and Urahara looked at the cards in his hand. "Can you be more specific?" the host asked.

"Um," Ikkaku tried to remember. "It was pink with red polka dots? It was for his birthday? I don't really know what you're looking for here..."

"Red polka dots! Excellent work!" Urahara gave them the point. "All right, Orihime and Uryuu, can one of you name your partner's first kiss?"

"Oh! I know." Orihime hit the buzzer excitedly. "Me!"

"Ah," Urahara winced and hesitated. "Is that your final answer?"

"Of course," she said with a dazzling smile. Uryuu hid his face in his hands.

"I'm afraid that's not quite right," Urahara said apologetically. "Nemu Kurotsuchi was the name we were looking for."

Orihime looked shocked.

"It was a long time ago, sweetheart," Uryuu tried to take his partner's hand. "I thought you knew I dated Nemu before I met you."

"How was I supposed to remember that?" Orihime hissed, pulling her hand away. "This is a disaster! How are we going to win now? I can't believe you!"

Urahara slowly stepped away from them and tried to continue. "All right, we'll give them some time to sort things out and move on to the next question! Renji and Tatsuki, which one of you was the first to break a bone?"

Tatsuki crushed the button under her fist. "Definitely me. This pussy's never broken a bone in his life."

"What the hell?" Renji sputtered. "We're on live television! You can't call me a pussy on live tv! Are you fucking kidding-"

"And Tatsuki is correct! Let's keep going, shall we?" Urahara walked over to Rukia and Ichigo. They glanced at each other nervously. Sure, they had the folders memorized by heart, but these questions were not the kind to appear in a personal folder.

"Ichigo and Rukia, one of you, tell me, how many sexual partners has your partner had?"

Rukia flushed bright red and was obviously at a loss for words. _Well, she's not going to be any help..._ Ichigo hit the button reluctantly.

"Si-even?" He changed his mind halfway through.

"Seven!" Rukia shrieked. "Are you nuts? That was really your best guess?"

"Well, six or seven, either way you're wrong," Urahara broke the news. "Rukia Kuchiki has had two sexual partners... Let's give the audience a chance to let that sink in." He winked at the camera.

"Two?" Ichigo whispered in disbelief. "Really?"

"Of course, really!" Rukia hissed. "You idiot!"

"Huh..." Ichigo looked surprised. "Never would've guessed."

"Oh, shut up!" She kicked him in the shin behind the podium and he let out a cry of pain.

All the other couples and Urahara turned to look at them and Rukia smiled innocently.

"He's just disappointed," she explained.

"Riiight," Urahara said sarcastically. Then, he looked over at the last couple. "All right, Gin and Rangiku, last question for Round 1. What is your partner's biggest hope for the future?"

The pair looked at each other sweetly and Rangiku giggled. Gin finally pressed the button and explained, "Well, it's actually something we both want: we want to get married soon."

A collective 'Aw' could be heard throughout the room and Urahara put a hand to his heart. "How sweet. And what a wonderful way to end our first round! Round 2 begins now, with some changes to the rules!"

Urahara gestured to the scoreboard. "For starters, you will now lose a point for incorrect answers. You may also pass questions to another couple, but only one pass per question. And lastly, and most importantly, you all will be picking the questions to ask each other from the lists that have just been placed on your podiums. Everyone understand? No? Wonderful! We'll begin with Momo and Hitsugaya! Ask anyone any question you want."

Momo and Hitsugaya looked over the list quickly before nodding to each other. "Yumichika and Ikkaku," Hitsugaya began, "What is your partner's secret sexual fantasy?"

Yumichika and Ikkaku looked thoughtful before Yumichika shrugged. "I know it's one of my dress-up costumes but I have no idea which one he'd pick so we're going to pass... to Rukia and her cutie boyfriend."

Yumichika winked and waved at Ichigo, who pretended he didn't see it.

In reality, he was more preoccupied with how he and Rukia were going to answer this question. He had no idea what this midget might fantasize about, but did he really want her trying to guess his?

Before he could volunteer, however, Rukia valiantly pushed the buzzer. "Ichigo's fantasy is... um..." She gave him an analytical look, as if she might find the answer by studying his face. "Feet," she finally announced. "He has a secret foot fetish."

Ichigo's face flushed bright red, and Rukia decided her answer was probably wrong.

"Are you trying to scare all my clients away?" He asked through gritted teeth.

"You don't have any anyway," she retorted before sighing at their failure. "What question do we want to ask?"

"This one, definitely," he decided, pointing at their list of questions.

"All right, Orihime and Uryuu, what is your partner's favorite... clothing brand?" Rukia asked hesitantly.

Uryuu hit the button confidently. "Mine, of course. The new line hasn't launched officially yet, but she wears custom pieces I've made for her all the time."

"It's true," Orihime said with a smile, pulling at the sleeves of her designer shirt as proof.

Ichigo hit his forehead with his hand and groaned.

"How did you not know that Uryuu Ishida was a fashion designer?" Rukia asked her partner, irritated for giving away such an easy question.

"Just pay attention," he grumped. "We might get another question."

.

After a long, tortuous filming session, the game finally came to an end, and some couples were happier than others.

"So it looks like the final scores are: Momo and Hitsugaya with 9 points, Yumichika and Ikkaku with... just 1 point, ouch! Orihime and Uryuu have 5 points, Tatsuki and Renji... -4 points, really? Wow. And Rukia and Ichigo... Oh, dear. -7 points... This doesn't look good for you two." Urahara made a sad face for them before announcing the winners. "Rangiku and Gin win the first challenge with 11 points! Congratulations!"

The winning pair beamed and embraced happily.

Rukia groaned and let her face fall into her hands miserably. "We couldn't even make it past the first week. This sucks."

Ichigo sighed and crossed his arms. "Look, don't give up yet, ok? Maybe if we do really well in group therapy, they'll let us stay. We could still have a chance."

The actress looked up at her partner skeptically. "I hope you're right."

**Group Therapy**

"What if you could ask your partner any question that you wanted? Especially if you knew they couldn't lie?" Urahara began his introduction dramatically. "Keeping with this week's theme, 'Honesty', we will be hooking our lovely couples up to lie detectors and letting the events unfold. While love can not be measured by points and scoreboards, this session is meant to give the judges a good look at the progress made by each couple, and possibly help them make their decisions about who gets to stay in the game at the end of the week, and who must go home."

Ichigo smiled as the camera panned across him and Rukia before moving on to the other couples. As soon as he was no longer in frame, he scowled and shifted uncomfortably under all the wires and buttons connecting him to the machine.

"Just try to relax," Rukia said quietly, perfectly at ease with the contraption she was hooked up to. "The machine will register that you're anxious. We don't want it to go off when it's not even our turn yet."

"Stupid, fucking machine," Ichigo grumbled. "I thought I was going to be physically competing with people, not trying to pass these stupid, fucking tests."

Rukia sighed in displeasure but decided to let him continue muttering to himself. As long as they weren't in front of the camera, he could do whatever he wanted.

She watched the two couples go before them, already asking deep questions, like how many times they had cheated and who had eaten all the free doughnuts that morning. In a way, Rukia pitied these couples. Clearly, they had serious issues, and she couldn't believe that a game show was the proper way to resolve them.

Still, when it came time for Ichigo and Rukia's turn, her sympathy had nothing on her desire to win. She looked at Ichigo expectantly, waiting for him to ask the questions they had decided on earlier.

Technically, it wasn't cheating. Just because the other couples had real issues to work out, didn't mean that Ichigo and Rukia couldn't take every advantage they had.

"Do you really think I cheat on you with my clients?" He asked. The advantage, of course, was that neither of them were really lying.

Rukia looked away and sighed, hoping to gain sympathy from the judges. "Of course not," she finally said in total honesty. After all, he couldn't cheat if they weren't really together. "I just like making you mad." Also true. "Why didn't you want to sleep with me last night?"

Ichigo rolled his eyes, as if this were a common argument, and answered honestly, "I thought you didn't want to! You told me to sleep on the couch!"

Rukia gasped indignantly and started to protest when Urahara interrupted, "Only one question per person, please! We'll get back to you two soon, don't you worry. Tatsuki and Renji? You're next. This should be good..."

Renji went first, "Why don't you ever travel with me to my competitions?"

Tatsuki laughed, as if the question were ridiculous. "Because I have a real fucking job, you moron! I have matches every weekend! You don't see me throwing a fit every time you miss my fights, do you? Fucking hell, can I ask my question now?"

Urahara nodded hesitantly.

"All right, I want to know how many chicks you sleep with when you're on the road and I'm not there."

Renji looked sheepish. "That's a very vague question, sweetheart. You know I made some mistakes early on in our relationship."

"Last month. When you were gone for two whole fucking weeks. How many girls did you sleep with on that trip?" she clarified, dangerously calm.

"Umm..." Renji tried to remember. "Well, none, of course."

The lie detector started blaring at the lie.

"You lying son of a bitch!" Tatsuki stood up, knocking her own machine over and causing it to sound as well.

"Ok!" Urahara interjected brightly. "Well, it looks like we're going to take a quick break. We'll see you all after a few short messages!"

The cameras went dead and various crew members tried to protect Renji and untangle Tatsuki from her lie detector at the same time.

Ichigo looked mildly amused and Rukia couldn't help snickering quietly at the scene.

"Um, excuse me, Miss Kuchiki?" A small voice caught her attention. "I was wondering if you would mind signing my copy of 'Real Life Chappy Sing-A-Long'? I really think it was one of your best works, and I'd really appreciate it and-"

"Of course, I'd be delighted." Rukia smiled at the short camera man. "Who should I make it out to?"

"Um, Hanataro, thank you," he said quietly, obviously shy.

"It's my pleasure," Rukia said sweetly. "It's always nice to meet a fan."

"Oh, well, that's very kind of you, Miss Kuchiki," Hanataro blushed.

"Here you are," she handed him the movie case. "I'm so glad we'll be working together."

"Oh, no," he shook his head quickly. "I don't really do much around here. I just make sure all the senior members have drinks and pretzels when they want them."

"Oh," Rukia quickly covered her surprised with a smile. "Well, I'll still look forward to seeing you on set."

"Oh, yes, most definitely." Hanataro nodded eagerly. "Would you like some pretzels? We're not back on air for another 30 seconds."

"I appreciate the offer, but I'm not hungry right now. Thank you, Hanataro." Rukia waved as the short man said good-bye and rushed back to his position.

"Oh, please, Miss Kuchiki, can I get you a pretzel?" Ichigo mocked as she sat back down. "Or maybe her highness would like a whole bag of pretzels? Can I get you an entire pretzel factory?"

"Don't be a jerk," Rukia hissed as another couple took their turn. "He was just being polite."

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "Look, as much as I appreciate your dedication to your role, there's no point in flirting with the guy when the cameras aren't even filming. No one's going to see you throwing yourself at him."

"I was not throwing myself at him! It's called being friendly!"

"I bet Dr. Yoruichi would have a different opinion," he challenged.

"Like I really care about Dr. Yoruichi!" Rukia spat back.

The room fell into a hushed silence and Rukia to realize that, just maybe, she had been a bit too loud in denouncing one of the show's most respected judges.

_Well, shit,_ Rukia thought to herself, _I should've stuffed my mouth with those pretzels after all._

**Elimination**

"Welcome to the first elimination here on 'The Dating Game'," an old man greeted the couples as they filed into the room.

"Who's the old guy?" Ikkaku whispered to his partner.

"That's Yamamoto, the man who finances this whole show," Yumichika whispered back.

"It's been a pleasure getting to know all of you this week, and I'd like to remind everyone, whether you stay in the house or go home, your relationships are whatever you make of them. I hope you will continue to improve them wherever you go." Yamamoto took his seat with the other two judges.

"And now I will ask the highest scoring couple to stand off to the side, as you will both be staying with us for another week." Urahara looked at the card in his hand and announced, "Gin and Rangiku! Your love has been an inspiration to all of us this week. Please stand with the judges."

The pair grinned and shared a quick kiss before walking away from the other couples.

"Next, in second place, Hitsugaya and Momo! Congratulations!"

Both looked pleasantly surprised, and hesitantly made their way to join Gin and Rangiku.

"Third place goes to Ikkaku and Yumichika!"

They quickly went over to the winners.

"And, in fourth, we have Orihime and Uryuu!"

The redhead squealed and eagerly pulled her partner away from the remaining couples.

"Unfortunately, only one more couple can stay in the house," Urahara said sadly. "And that couple is... Tatsuki and Renji!"

The pair high fived and happily left Rukia and Ichigo standing alone in front of the judges.

"It's so sad to see you two go," Urahara sympathized. "But-"

"Wait," Hitsugaya interrupted. Momo clung to his arm shyly and he intertwined his hand with hers. "Momo and I have an announcement."

The room was quiet in anticipation.

"We won't be continuing in 'The Dating Game' because," he took a deep breath, "because we found out that Momo's pregnant. We want to go home and focus on starting our new family."

There was a collective gasp.

"Well, this certainly is a surprise..." Urahara said, looking back at the other two judges to see what to do. Yamamoto shrugged, and Dr. Yoruichi nodded.

"What a lucky day for Ichigo and Rukia!" He finally announced. "Since Hitsugaya and Momo are disqualifying themselves, our last place couple will be allowed to continue in 'The Dating Game'!"

Ichigo found himself silent in shock, and Rukia let out a deep sigh of relief. Neither could believe their good fortune. They actually made it! They'd be continuing to Week 2!

"That's it for tonight, ladies and gentlemen!" Urahara saluted to the camera. "Make sure to join us next week to see the couples tackle their next theme: Intimacy!"

* * *

Thank you for reading :)


	3. Week 2

Thank you for all the supportive, thoughtful reviews so far! I hope you enjoy this chapter as well :)

* * *

**Week 2**

**Couples Therapy**

"I... I just wanted to apologize for what I said last week," Rukia said as she and Ichigo sat down for private therapy. "I wasn't thinking."

The doctor laughed and smiled as she answered. "Don't distress yourself, Miss Kuchiki. I assure you I've heard much worse from disgruntled patients."

Rukia let out a relieved sigh.

"I do have some questions for you two today, though. Shall we get started?"

The actress nodded agreeably, and Ichigo shrugged.

Dr. Yoruichi pulled out her notepad before looking at the fitness trainer. "Ichigo, I'm curious about why you didn't bring up Rukia's alleged affair with Kaien Shiba in group therapy last week. Surely you must have some questions about that."

Rukia stiffened uncomfortably beside him, but Ichigo tried to stay casual, even though he had no idea what to say. They never talked about it, and Rukia seemed less than eager to discuss it. He searched his mind for any information he could remember from the news programs and gossip magazines.

"Um..." He started.

"There's nothing to question," Rukia stated firmly. "Ichigo knows nothing happened between Kaien and I."

"Please let your partner answer," the doctor said politely. "Do you have any lingering doubts? It's important to address these matters now, or they might evolve into serious trust issues in the future."

"Well... I mean, maybe. A little," Ichigo searched for a way out. "What I do have doubts about though, is that camera guy you were flirting with last week! I was right there! You were clearly trying to make me jealous!"

"Is that true, Rukia?"

"Of course it's true! He never pays attention to me otherwise!" Rukia huffed, secretly grateful to Ichigo for moving to a different topic.

Dr. Yoruichi frowned. "It seems to me that Ichigo is the one putting the most effort forward in this relationship. I suspect it stems from your jealousy, Rukia, it seems like all you're doing is shooting down Ichigo's attempts to reconnect with you."

Rukia paused, temporarily speechless.

"It's true, Doctor," Ichigo agreed, secretly enjoying putting Rukia on the spot. "It's like she doesn't even love me anymore. Like I'm just an annoyance."

"That's not true," Rukia protested weakly.

"Then prove it," Dr. Yoruichi challenged. "You two were incredibly lucky to make it to Week 2, and I'm expecting real improvement from you this week if you want to make it to Week 3."

"Of course," Rukia said quickly in an attempt to redeem herself. "We'll try anything you suggest."

The doctor smiled. "Well, this week's theme is intimacy. I expect you can figure this one out yourselves."

Ichigo grinned at the thought and Rukia nodded slowly.

"Not a problem," the pair agreed with varying degrees of confidence.

**Group Therapy**

"And then, make downward strokes as your partner exhales," the massage instructor demonstrated in front of them. "Don't forget to really dig in to get rid of any tension."

"You're supposed to exhale, midget," Ichigo muttered quietly, trying not to disturb the serenity of the room.

"That. Hurts." Rukia hissed as Ichigo ran his thumbs down either side of her spine.

"Oh, sorry," Ichigo said sarcastically. "I guess I'm not used to working on someone with such tiny muscles."

Fighting against the urge to swat her partner, Rukia clenched her fists and teeth and remained silent on the padded table. As much as she hated this massage therapy class, she was determined to impress Yoruichi and the other judges.

Much to her surprise, and pleasure, Ichigo did let up on the pressure soon after his cruel remark. He didn't say anything, but Rukia was grateful that his fingers were no longer needling into her flesh. After a few more smooth, gentle movements, she almost found herself enjoying the man's warm hands massaging her skin.

"At least no one's yelling," she commented quietly.

"It's only a matter of time," Ichigo chuckled softly above her. "I'm pretty sure Tatsuki just pulled out a rolling pin, and Renji has no idea it's coming."

.

"You know you have really tiny fingers?" Ichigo asked when it was his turn to receive the massage. "I can barely even feel your hands. Are you pressing at all?"

"Your skin is as thick as a rhinoceros," Rukia retorted. "I'm surprised you can feel anything."

"I'm just saying, you can push harder," Ichigo said, adding, "Maybe get a step stool or something."

"Listen, you-"

"Miss Kuchiki?" The instructor came over to them.

Rukia immediately switched expressions and smiled sweetly. "Yes, sir?"

"You're really quite petite for someone your age. For cases like this, I usually recommend that the masseuse use their elbows and knees to add some pressure. Here," he took her hand and helped her climb onto the table.

"Are you sure this is necessary?" Rukia asked, awkwardly balancing on her knees on Ichigo's back.

"You'll get used to it," the instructor assured her. "Just keep following along with the modified strokes."

Rukia could feel Ichigo's body shaking with laughter under her as the man walked away.

"Oh, shut up," she grumped. "And stop moving so much. I'll lose my balance."

"Whatever you say, sweetheart," Ichigo said with a grin.

"Now, use your palms to relieve any negative energy from your partner's neck and shoulders," the massage instructor said from the front of the room.

Leaning precariously so that her elbow reached Ichigo's neck, Rukia did the best she could to imitate the man.

"Hold still, idiot," Rukia hissed. Just as she finished her warning, however, the slick massage oil made her elbow slip off the top of Ichigo's shoulder and she fell foreword on the back of his head.

The man jumped in pain under her and she scrambled to get back up.

"God damn, you really pinched a nerve," Ichigo muttered irritably once she had regained her balance.

"Don't you dare blame this on me!" Rukia hissed as she climbed off the massage table to let him sit up.

"I think you broke my neck," Ichigo winced, trying to stretch the cramping muscles.

Rukia immediately felt guilty when she realized he wasn't just trying to be obnoxious. "Are you ok?" She asked, worried he might actually be hurt.

"I'll be fine," he said, turning away from her and the other couples to avoid attention. "Just give me a minute."

Urahara came over and handed Rukia a cold compress for her partner. "Maybe you two should sit out for the rest of today's session," he suggested quietly.

"If that's what you think is best," she said, trying to hide her disappointment. This was no way to impress the judges.

Rukia followed Ichigo to the back of the room and handed him the ice pack. "Here you go. This should help."

"Thanks." He held the compress to the curve of his neck and shoulder, still wincing. "I didn't even ask if you were ok. Did you hurt anything when you slipped?"

"Just my dignity," Rukia said with a small smile. "But I figure I lost that when I agreed to join this stupid show in the first place."

Ichigo chuckled at the joke and Rukia felt a little less guilty.

"Do you think you'll be ok?" She asked.

Ichigo gave her a one-shouldered shrug. "It's just a pinched nerve. And a pretty minor one. Probably only a day or two recovery time."

"So you'll be better in time for the physical challenge, then!" Rukia said, relieved. "That's good."

A frown abruptly spread across Ichigo's face and he stayed oddly quiet, thinking about her comment.

"Can I get you some aspirin or something?" She asked, trying to break the tension.

"Why?" He asked irritably. "Just because you need me to win your stupid challenge? Forget it. I'll get my own damn aspirin."

"What are you going on about?" Rukia followed him out of the room. "I'm just trying to help."

"The only thing you care about is winning this show!" He fumed. "I thought, just maybe, we were having a real conversation, like normal people. But this is all an act for you, isn't it? You don't give a damn about me as long as we're winning these stupid challenges."

"Where is this coming from? I thought you wanted to win this competition just as much as I do!" Rukia shot back. "I'm sorry if you thought I was being insensitive, but don't act like my well-being is your top priority either!"

"Just give it a rest," Ichigo said, sounding fed up. "I'm done with this shit for today." He turned and headed back towards the main house.

"I'd ask if there's anything I can get you, but I wouldn't want you to get the wrong idea!" She shouted after him, trying to get rid of the leftover anger swirling in her stomach.

He wordlessly held up his good arm and gestured with his middle finger, not bothering to turn around.

Rukia huffed in exasperation and went to inform Urahara that Ichigo was leaving to rest his muscles for the rest of the day.

Urahara seemed sympathetic, patting her on the head and allowing her to stay for the rest of the class anyway. How she got talked into practicing the massage techniques on the blonde host instead was unclear to Rukia, but she figured she could swallow her irritation a little longer if it was earning her brownie points with one of the judges.

.

However, later that night, when Rukia was feeling unsettled and sleepless, she realized she wasn't upset and angry with the orange-haired man asleep beside her anymore. She was upset and angry with herself.

He was right, of course. Impressing the judges was her main concern, but why did she feel so guilty that he was still upset with her, off camera? Rukia shut her eyes irritably and tried to force the confusing thoughts from her mind.

**The House**

The next day was a free day for the couples in the house. Most had chosen to spend it leisurely, sleeping in and relaxing around the spacious mansion and its grounds.

The girls could be found outside, lounging by the pool, as Tatsuki was explaining the rules of professional kickboxing.

"But that sounds so dangerous!" Orihime gasped. "What if you get hit in the face?"

"Then I hit the bitch back even harder!" Tatsuki laughed.

Orihime made a squeamish face, but Rangiku looked impressed. "I'd love to come to one of your matches sometime. If that's all right with you, of course."

"Really?" Tatsuki was surprised. "It gets pretty bloody by the end."

Rangiku giggled. "I think it'd be fun. My manager is so strict about what I can and can't do: I never get to do anything where I might get hurt or mess up my looks."

"If you're up for it," the profession fighter shrugged. "I'll send you and Gin tickets for my next match. What about you, Rukia? Would you and Ichigo want to come too?"

The actress wanted to decline, but forced herself to answer cheerfully. "That sounds great! Thanks for the offer. Ichigo will love it."

"It's a double date, then!" Rangiku beamed. "You sure you won't come, Orihime?"

The redhead looked doubtful. "I would, but I'll probably be working. It does sound like fun though... Oh, goodness, go ahead and save me and Uryuu a pair as well. I'm sure we can make it."

"This is going to be great! I'll get you guys access passes and front row seats and everything." Tatsuki started planning enthusiastically.

Rukia smiled at the others' excitement. It was nice to finally have some time where she could relax with the girls and just be normal.

"Hey, Rukia," Ichigo came out from the house and the actress sighed. _So much for relaxing._

"What is it?" She lifted her sunglasses lazily before turning around, and quickly wished she hadn't.

The fitness trainer had just finished working out. He was shirtless, glistening under the bright sun, and Rukia's eyes widened before she could compose herself.

"This is for you. I think it's from your brother." He handed her an envelope with her name written on it and began walking back towards the house.

"Oh, Ichigo!" Orihime called out sweetly. "Why don't you stay out here with us?"

"Maybe later. I'm going to go take a shower," he turned her down, clearly still in a sour mood.

The redhead pouted. "Will you at least help me with my tanning lotion first? There's this one spot on my back I can't quite reach."

"Um..." Ichigo paused uncomfortably, and Rukia rolled her eyes, before reminding herself that she was _not _jealous.

"I should really go," he finally answered. "I'll let Uryuu know you need help though."

Ichigo escaped back into the house, and Orihime sighed. "Oh, Rukia, you are _so_ lucky."

But Rukia was no longer listening. In the envelope was an old magazine cover which had featured her with the caption: _Rukia Kuchiki: Japan's Sweetheart or Home-wrecking Mistress?_

A handwritten note was scribbled on it as well.

_I heard you were on a new show. Thought I'd come by and see for myself. _

_Ichigo seems nice, but I don't recall saying you and I were done._

_You don't want these kinds of headlines again, do you? -K_

"Excuse me," Rukia said softly, getting up and leaving the girls.

"Rukia, wait," Rangiku jumped up after her. "Are you ok? You seem upset."

Rukia put on a wide smile and hide the letter behind her back. "Of course," she said once they were far enough away from the other girls. "I'm fine."

The strawberry blonde wasn't buying it. "It's Ichigo, isn't it?"

It wasn't exactly a lie. Rukia shrugged. "We're just working through some things."

"I see." Rangiku looked thoughtful for a moment. "Well, try to figure it out soon, ok? The judges won't be happy if they see you two aren't getting any better."

"We'll be fine in time for the challenge," she reassured her.

"I meant around the house," Rangiku corrected. "You do know they have cameras everywhere, right? How else could they fill a two-hour timeslot on television? They love to add in all the drama at the house."

Rukia's mouth fell open. "Even in the bathrooms?"

"Of course not! Don't you even read the contracts?" Rangiku laughed. "Anyway, I'm off to find Gin," she continued without missing a beat. "This week's theme is intimacy, after all. Gotta put on a good show, right?" She winked suggestively before going inside and leaving Rukia alone.

The actress put a hand to her forehead. _Everything_ she and Ichigo did was being recorded? She tore the envelope up into little pieces, throwing them away, and tried to push the bad thoughts from her mind.

Now she really needed to find Ichigo.

.

"Ichigo!" Rukia hurried to their shared bedroom and looked around for her partner.

"What?" Ichigo came out from the bathroom, wearing only a towel and still dripping wet from his shower.

"Put some clothes on!" She looked away before remembering. "I mean, um, hi, sweetheart."

"That's new," he commented as he picked out a shirt from their closet. "What's going on?"

"Well... I just thought we haven't really been spending enough time together, you know?"

"Oh, yeah. Because we get along so well." Ichigo agreed sarcastically from the bathroom where he was getting dressed. When he came out, Rukia was sitting on the bed. "What are you doing?" He frowned, clearly confused.

"Just wanted to check on my wonderful boyfriend," she said sweetly, gesturing for him to sit beside her.

"Is everything all right?" Ichigo asked as he cautiously took a seat.

"I'm with you, aren't I?" Rukia laughed. "I just found something out today that I thought was funny."

"I'm actually really scared of you right now," he said quietly. "Are you sick or something?"

"Of course not, silly!" Rukia giggled again. "But, guess what! Rangiku just told me that there are cameras _everywhere_ in the house. Isn't that great? Now the whole world can see our love."

Ichigo's amber eyes widened, and he finally understood. "That is good news, pumpkin. I'm so glad you told me."

"Yep," Rukia said, fake smile still pasted on. "So, what do you want to do now, sweetie pie?"

Ichigo cocked his head to the side and smirked. "Well, I might have an idea."

"Of course." Rukia blushed and tried to keep calm. "What a good idea," she said weakly.

Ichigo's hand cradled the side of her face, and Rukia obligingly leaned in.

Her violet eyes fell closed, and Ichigo tried not to stare at the way her pink lips just barely parted centimeters away from his face.

He smelled delicious, Rukia thought to herself. Like soap and-

"Damn it," Ichigo pulled away and winced.

"Are you ok?" Rukia asked, torn between relief and disappointment.

"Yeah," he said, rubbing his neck, looking almost embarrassed. "It's just... I have to be careful about the way I stretch these muscles for a while."

"Oh," Rukia said softly. "Maybe another time, then."

"Right," Ichigo nodded. "Another time." He stood up awkwardly and crossed his arms. "So, what did Byakuya say?"

"What?" Rukia looked up in confusion, before remembering. "Oh, right. He just wanted to remind us to do our best. He wasn't happy about last week's elimination."

"He wrote you a letter to say that?" Ichigo asked dubiously.

"My brother is very old-fashioned." Rukia shrugged. "Anyway, now that we've caught up, I'm going to go find the girls again. I'll see you at dinner?"

"Yeah, I'll be down in a bit." Ichigo watched the petite woman leave the room and sighed. He had spent every day of the past two weeks hating practically everything about this annoying midget.

_Why was I so excited about the idea of finally kissing her?_

**Challenge**

"All right, couples! Today's challenge, true to the show's purpose, will be all about upholding your love. Or, more specifically, holding up this heart." Urahara showed the camera a palm-sized glass heart before continuing. "And, as this week's theme is intimacy, you'll only be using a very 'intimate' part of your bodies to keep these hearts in the air."

Rukia blushed and some of the couples were wearing shocked expressions.

"Your lips!" Urahara cackled. "What did you all think I meant?"

Rukia rolled her eyes at the crude joke, and Ichigo chuckled beside her.

"Couples! Please take your stands!"

Each pair stepped up on their pedestals, with three feet between each partner. They positioned the heart to balance between their lips and waited for the signal.

"Hearts up!" Urahara called, and the couples kept the heart in the air with only their mouths, as if they were kissing opposite sides of the ornament. "Now, remember, the winning couple will get a special surprise at the end of this week! So, don't drop those hearts!"

The first five minutes went by without incident. After making awkward eye contact for an uncomfortable period of time, Rukia and Ichigo eventually made a silent agreement to stare at each other's foreheads instead.

Orihime and Uryuu had a close call at minute 7 because the redhead got distracted by a butterfly that had landed on her shoe, but Uryuu managed to keep the heart between them and regain her attention.

A very muffled argument could be heard from Renji and Tatsuki about 15 minutes in. While the forward lean position was causing difficulties for most of the couples, the two athletes seemed to have no trouble with it. Their focus went to making angry faces and garbled insults at each other instead.

Finally, after 20 minutes of Ikkaku leaning too far forward, Yumichika could no longer support the weight and fell backwards off his pedestal. Ikkaku was furious and Yumichika was clearly devastated that they would be the couple going home at elimination.

But all Ichigo felt was intense relief that, for once, they weren't at the bottom. That, and a growing pain in his neck and shoulder muscles.

Now that they were safe, he allowed himself to shift positions ever so slightly, in an attempt to relieve the pressure on his tender muscles. Rukia looked at him with curious eyebrows, but he blinked to convey to her that everything was fine.

"I said, the fucking heart is getting all slippery! Stop fucking slobbering all over it!" Tatsuki shouted out of nowhere, effectively letting the glass object fall from between their mouths to the ground.

Both Tatsuki and Renji's eyes followed it down, horror on their faces.

"Well, shit." Renji frowned. "What'd you do that for?"

"It wasn't on purpose!" Tatsuki exclaimed.

"All right, all right," Urahara hurried over. "4th place isn't that bad. Why don't you two go take a seat until the competition's over, ok?"

He led the pair away and Rukia's eyes crinkled around the corners. Ichigo could tell she was laughing, and normally he would have found Tatsuki's outburst hilarious as well, but he was too distracted.

It was finally happening. He had delayed it as long as possible, but in this position, it was inevitable that his neck muscles would cramp up eventually.

He cringed, trying to keep his lips puckered and motionless, while still rubbing the screaming muscles.

Finally, when he couldn't take it anymore, he pulled away and quickly stretched out. After finding sweet relief, Ichigo was surprised to realize he had yet to hear the sound indicating that the heart had shattered on the floor.

Rukia, with eyes wide and cheeks pink, has managed to inhale and suction the glass heart to her mouth, keeping it from dropping when Ichigo pulled away. Clearly running out of breath, she gestured at him expectantly.

With a jump, he leaned forward and met her in the middle so they were both kissing the ornament again. Rukia's eyes shined excitedly as she caught her breath, clearly conveying that they still had a chance at winning.

"You two are lucky I didn't see that little stunt you just pulled," Urahara walked past them, whispering conspiratorially. "Otherwise, I'd have to disqualify you for cheating. Good thing I wasn't watching though." He winked and walked away.

They were _so_ close.

At 35 minutes, Uryuu tried to shift the ornament into a better position with his tongue and ended up dropping it. Orihime looked like she was heartbroken, but quickly recovered when the fashion designer promised her a new dress to make up for his mistake.

Finally, an 45 minutes passed. From their position, neither Rukia nor Ichigo could see Gin and Rangiku or how they were holding up.

The pair looked at each other with tired eyes, but both refused to give up.

However, it only took another 10 minutes before the ornament finally slipped out from between their mouths. Rukia stumbled forward tiredly, and Ichigo caught her by the shoulders.

A few feet away, Gin and Rangiku let go of their own ornament and celebrated their victory.

Rukia looked over her shoulder at the winning couple and her violet eyes narrowed dangerously.

"You ok?" Ichigo asked, worried about his partner losing her temper.

But, to his surprise, she sighed and began laughing.

"We almost won!" She beamed. "At least we're not going home!"

Her tiny arms wrapped around his waist in excitement, and Ichigo tried not to blush as he put an arm around her as well.

"Yeah," his lips curled into a half-smile. "We did do pretty good, huh? And you! How'd you do that thing with your mouth? You totally saved us."

Rukia pulled away and shrugged shyly. "I had to do something. It's my fault you were hurt in the first place."

Ichigo regarded the woman in front of him and realized that he might just be having a slight change of heart. "Well, we're more than even now. Friends?"

Hopeful eyes looked up at him and she nodded, still smiling. "Friends."

**Elimination**

The couples filed out to stand in front of the judges.

"Welcome, couples! This week was certainly an interesting one. I'm happy to announce our winners for the week, a pair of repeat offenders: Gin and Rangiku!" Urahara and the other judges clapped for the couple as they made their way off to the side. "Congratulations! Your special surprise is an extra session with our massage therapist this weekend!"

The instructor waved happily at them and the couple waved back. "How wonderful," Rangiku said sweetly.

"And in 2nd place," Urahara continued, "we have our most improved couple by far: Ichigo and Rukia!"

Rukia jumped up and down excitedly as the judges clapped for them. Ichigo, seemingly caught up in the moment, pulled her in for a long, deep celebratory kiss.

"I thought it would look good," he whispered by way of an explanation when they were standing in the Winner's Area. "You know, for the judges."

Still slightly dazed from their unexpected first kiss, Rukia quickly agreed. "Of course. I knew that's what you were doing. Good thinking."

After Uryuu and Orihime, and Tatsuki and Renji joined them a few moments later, Yumichika and Ikkaku said their sad farewells. One of the men handed Ichigo a piece of paper with their phone numbers on it.

"Call us if you change your mind about our offer!" Yumichika winked as they walked away. Rukia laughed as Ichigo turned bright red at the proposition and scowled.

"That's it for tonight, ladies and gentlemen!" Urahara smiled for the cameras. "Make sure to catch us next week when the couples will be learning about their next theme: Trust!"

* * *

Another week down! I'll try to get the next chapter up soon, and feedback is always appreciated!


	4. Week 3

Happy April Fools! I don't have any jokes for you, except this story ;) Thanks for reading!

* * *

**Week 3 **

**Couples Therapy**

"Good morning," Dr. Yoruichi greeted the pair as they entered her office. "I must say, I am very impressed with you two. You made incredible improvement, almost overnight. What provoked the sudden change?"

_'We wanted to win the money' seems like the wrong answer._ Ichigo tried to think of something better.

"Well," Rukia answered for them. "I thought a lot about what you said. I realized that I am unfair to Ichigo sometimes and I wanted to show him that I'm trying to work on that."

The doctor smiled widely. "Wonderful! And has this had any effect on your relationship, Ichigo?"

The orange-haired man smiled and put his arm around his pretend-girlfriend's shoulders. "I think it has, Doctor. I hope we can continue to impress you this week."

"I'm sure you will!" Dr. Yoruichi praised the pair. "However, I also know that this will be an important week for you two, as trust seems to be the main issue in your relationship. Rukia, you really stepped up last week, but I'd like to see you put more faith in Ichigo moving forward. Do you think you can ask him for help this week?"

Rukia squirmed uncomfortably, and Ichigo grinned. Even acting, he knew that this would be difficult for the petite woman.

"Ichigo," she put her hand on his and took a deep breath. "I want to be able to trust you more and you can help me with that by showing me that you're invested in this relationship and not just your work."

Dr. Yoruichi's eyebrows rose slightly at declaration and she looked curiously at Ichigo for his response.

Fully hamming it up, Ichigo put his hand on top of hers, and nodded solemnly. "This relationship means the world to me. Just give me a chance to prove it."

"Ok," Rukia said slowly. "I trust you."

**The House**

"Seems like you and Rukia are really working things out," Gin commented as he climbed onto the treadmill next to Ichigo. The two men were alone in the gym later that day. Ichigo pulled out his headphones and reduced the speed on his machine.

"Yeah, I guess so." He acknowledged between heavy breaths. "You and Rangiku have been fine from the start though. It must be nice to have a relationship like that."

Gin smiled wryly and set his own treadmill to a slow walk. "Be careful what you wish for. You're still young and life is full of options. There's less hope for an old man like me whose only appeal is money and power."

Ichigo paused awkwardly, unsure of how serious the other man was being. "Well, you know, if you want to get in better shape, I could give you some tips," he tried changing the subject.

"Ah, no," Gin laughed and waved off Ichigo's suggestion. "I'm just here today to make sure I won't have a heart attack during the physical challenge tomorrow. It's supposed to be the most difficult so far, you know?"

"How do you know that?" Ichigo wondered. "I thought contestants weren't allowed to know anything about upcoming events."

"Like I said, money and power." The older man shrugged dismissively. "I've just been in the movie business long enough to make some friends. I do hope you're not afraid of heights."

"Of course not!" Ichigo scoffed. "It's some sort of obstacle course, then? Or a zipline?"

"Not bad guesses," Gin nodded approvingly. "Let's see... I imagine it'll be quite a _reach,_ sort of like hitting a _wall_, in a way. Might even put your relationship on the _rocks _if you can't _climb_ to a victory."

"Uh huh," The orange-haired man mumbled, trying to put the clues together. "I think I get what you're saying. I appreciate the heads up."

"Not a problem." Gin stopped his treadmill and stepped off delicately. "You're not our biggest competition this week."

"Wait," Ichigo turned around quickly. "You're trying to get a specific couple out? Who is it?"

"Anyone that's been together longer than... say, three weeks?" Gin had become disarmingly serious.

"I-I don't know what you mean..." Ichigo fumbled.

"Don't worry about it, kid." He smiled again, laughing, and waved him off. "Like I said, you're not a target this week. I'll see you at dinner, yeah?"

"Yeah," Ichigo said quietly as the older man walked away. _Have we been found out already?_

**Challenge**

"Welcome back, everyone!" Urahara shouted enthusiastically as the couples exited a large van and came to stand in front of a large rock climbing wall. "We have an exciting challenge for you all today and I just know you're all going to 'rock' it!"

Uryuu let out a sad sigh at the pun, but Ichigo was too excited to pay attention to the other contestant beside him.

"Finally." He said quietly to Rukia, who was standing on his other side. "Something that we have a chance at winning!"

He had decided against mentioning his odd conversation with Gin to his partner, preferring to let her be pleasantly surprised about the type of challenge when the time came. But, no response came from the petite woman like he had expected.

Confused, Ichigo looked down to see Rukia white-knuckled and wide-eyed. "Rukia? What's wrong?"

Finally, tearing her violet eyes away from the rock wall, she looked up at him and barely whispered, "I'm afraid of heights."

"What!?" Ichigo whisper-shouted. "Why didn't you ever tell me?"

"I didn't think it was important!" Rukia hissed back. "Besides, it's embarrassing."

"And, now, let's explain the rules for today's challenge!" Urahara continued with his introduction.

Ichigo ran a hand through his hair and groaned to himself. _Of course, the midget's afraid of heights... How are we going to make this work?_

"We'll be putting our couples' trust to the test with this physical challenge! Not only do they have to both make it to the top, but partners will also be attached with this connector rope!" The announcer pulled out a black cord, only five feet long. "This means that couples will have to climb alongside each other and, if one partner falls, the other partner can keep them in the game as long as they hang on tight!"

"So, whoever makes it to the top gets to move on to next week?" Renji asked skeptically. Both professional athletes, he and Tatsuki were clearly excited about the athletic requirements.

"We'd have a problem if everyone made it to the top, then, wouldn't we?" Urahara laughed. "Each couple will be timed on their attempt! And the better your time, the better options you'll get in your group therapy session later this week, so I definitely recommend doing your best today!"

"Hear that?" Ichigo nudged the terror-stricken woman beside him. "We just have to beat one other couple to make it to next week. We can deal with the group therapy session when we get to it."

Rukia shook her head quietly. "I don't know if I can do it. Maybe we can still get through if we do really well in therapy?"

"I don't know if that'll work..." Ichigo's determination softened slightly at her genuine fear. "Just give it your best, ok? We have to at least try."

Rukia nodded reluctantly as Tatsuki and Renji raced to be the couple to go first.

.

"Wow! What a time!" Urahara exclaimed as Renji and Tatsuki began their descent from the wall. The pair had raced each other rather than working together which had lost them some time, but they still managed to complete the wall in less than six minutes.

"Who's up next?" Urahara pointed to Ichigo and Rukia. "How about you two?"

Rukia stiffened, but Ichigo pulled her along gently. "It's going to be fine," he tried to sound reassuring as they got into the climbing harnesses. "See? It's totally safe. They're not going to let you fall."

Rukia did not seem convinced but she managed to force her body to walk forward until they were both in front of the wall.

"Just don't look down, ok? Focus on what's in front of you," Ichigo motivated as he started climbing. He only got a few feet up before the rope between them pulled tight. "Rukia?"

"Ok, I'm coming," she said, taking a deep breath.

They managed to make it about a quarter of the way before Ichigo felt the connector rope tighten again. Rukia was totally frozen.

"I'm sorry. I can't go any higher." Her eyes were closed, Ichigo noticed, and she was clinging to the wall.

"Rukia?" He climbed down so they were eye-level again. "Hey, Rukia, I have an idea, ok?"

The dark-haired girl peeked an eye open at him.

"You're going to have to trust me," he explained. "I'm going to carry you to the top so you just keep your eyes closed and hold on."

"Are you crazy?" Rukia was now fully paying attention to the man beside her. "What if you fall? What if you drop me!? No way in hell!"

"You said you were going to trust me," Ichigo stood his ground. "You got us through the last challenge, let me get us through this one."

Rukia looked terrified. "You're serious?"

"I am serious. Now, come here." He reached out and pulled her toward him by her safety line. "Remember, you're a lot lighter with the harness and ropes. I'm not going to drop you."

Rukia reluctantly released her grip on the wall and let herself be pulled into Ichigo's chest. She buried her face into his shoulder and wrapped her arms and legs around his neck and waist in a death grip.

"Ok," Ichigo gasped through the chokehold around his neck. "Here we go."

Grateful for his long limbs, Ichigo scaled the wall effortlessly and within minutes, they were repelling back down again. Unsteady on his feet after being in the air, Ichigo fell backwards upon hitting the ground.

"Did we make it?" Rukia asked hesitantly when she felt the impact.

"And our second couple has finished their climb!" Urahara announced to the viewers at home. "Ichigo and Rukia got a time of 15:07, putting them in second place behind Renji and Tatsuki! Well, maybe we should just give Ichigo the credit for that one! Talk about trust!"

Urahara laughed at his own joke and spun around. "How about we have you two next?" He pointed at Gin and Rangiku.

"Well, we certainly can't compete with that, can we, darling?" Rangiku cooed to the older man beside her.

"You're certainly in the better shape of the two of us," Gin praised his partner as the crew fitted them for their harnesses. "I'll do my best not to slow you down too much."

.

Rukia still seemed to be in a daze as the other couple began their climb.

"So," Ichigo started awkwardly, "you want to get up or..."

The petite woman gasped and jumped up from his lap. "Sorry, I just..." she stammered.

"No problem," Ichigo shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. "I just think the crew wanted the harnesses back, is all"

"Right, of course." Rukia nodded, starting to pull the safety equipment off.

.

Despite the couple's humble comments, Gin and Rangiku worked together well on the wall and managed to complete the climb in nine minutes.

This put Ichigo and Rukia at risk of coming in last, but fortunately for them, Orihime was particularly enamored with Ichigo's stunt and demanded that Uryuu carry her up the wall in a similar fashion.

.

"Orihime, sweetheart, I would do anything to make you happy, but I am a fashion designer, not a professional meathead. Why don't we just work together? I don't want to see you disappointed," Uryuu tried to reason.

"We never do things my way!" She protested. "You're such a pessimist. You haven't even tried!"

.

"Well, folks, to no one's surprise, that did not end well!" Urahara announced as the last couple slipped off the wall. "That puts Uryuu and Orihime in last place for the challenge this week, and makes them significantly at risk of going home during our elimination. Can they save themselves during our group therapy session coming up next? Stay tuned to find out!"

**Group Therapy**

"So, everyone understands the rules for this week's group therapy exercise, correct?" Dr. Yoruichi looked around the room to observe blank and confused stares.

"It does seem a bit... complicated," Rangiku finally spoke up. "Could you go over it one more time?"

"Ok, but pay attention this time." The therapist sighed. "Your goal is to plan an ideal day for your partner. Your partner has already identified their top choice for each of the categories, so we'll know if you make the right choice for them. However, they'll end up getting whatever you pick for them, even if it's not what they would have chosen for themselves. Clear so far?"

The group nodded obediently.

"Based on your ranking from the challenge yesterday, each couple will have a different number of options to choose from. For example, Renji and Tatsuki will automatically get their first choices because they each only have one option to choose from for each category. Second, Gin and Rangiku will have three options each. Ichigo and Rukia have five, and Orihime and Uryuu have seven. This means that the higher you placed, the higher chance you have of picking your partner's top choice."

"And will you remind our viewers what exactly those categories are, my lovely co-judge?" Urahara asked sweetly from off to the side.

"Of course," Dr. Yoruichi smiled at the camera. "The three categories for our couples' luxury day provide three opportunities for each partner to make the other happy tomorrow. First, partners will choose a fun, individual activity for each other, then they will have dinner together with whatever menu their partner has chosen for them, and finally, their partner will select their clothing items to be worn to bed that night."

"Oh, how intriguing!" Urahara added. "You have a dirty mind, doctor! What an exciting opportunity, to be totally at the mercy of your partner's whims and desires..."

"This is a highly-regarded, research-supported, therapeutic exercise, Urahara. Please don't sully it with your base assumptions." Dr. Yoruichi reprimanded her co-star.

"Oh, absolutely not, doctor." Urahara agreed quickly. "Let's see how our couples will get on with this exhilaratingly deviant exercise, then, shall we? We'll get right to it after these commercial messages!"

.

_Could a horse even support Ichigo's weight...?_ Rukia wondered to herself as she tried to make the best selections for Ichigo's luxury day. _Or maybe he'd like snorkeling with sharks?_

Ichigo, in a similar fashion, pondered about what Rukia might enjoy most of the choices they were provided. _I don't think I've ever seen her eat Italian food... And for nightwear? _He hesitated over the choice he was tempted to make before choosing something that Rukia was more likely to appreciate. _Definitely would've gotten killed for that one._

.

At the end of the next day, after their individual activities, all the couples returned to their respective rooms for romantic evenings together.

"You'd think after all the extravagance this afternoon, we could have had dinner in an actual restaurant," Rukia commented drily as she sat down at the cheap dining table set up on the balcony outside their room at the house.

Ichigo smirked at her comment. "I don't think _dinner_ is supposed to be the highlight of tonight."

"What do you mean?" Rukia looked up at the man across from her with a confused look, before following his pointed gaze at the large, plush bed just inside their room.

"Oh," Rukia cleared her throat. "I guess that explains why they had us choose night wear for each other."

"Did you have fun with your movie thing?" Ichigo asked, trying to break up the tension that had fallen over the pair.

"I did!" The dark-haired woman chirped brightly. "I was worried you were going to pick something stupid for me, but the museum and movie screening were really interesting. Thank you."

"Imagine that," Ichigo rolled his eyes. "The actress likes museum exhibits on cinema and old movie screenings. I thought that was a pretty clear choice."

Rukia shot him a disapproving look before retorting, "Seems like your activity didn't do anything for your bad attitude. Maybe it's incurable."

Ichigo huffed before admitting, "It was actually really cool. The trails by the beach were perfect for running and the sport massage was perfect for my sore shoulder."

Rukia raised an eyebrow, suggesting she was waiting for Ichigo to say more.

"So, thanks," Ichigo finally said reluctantly. "When are we eating?"

"Your food is right here, sir!" Hanataro barged in cheerfully as he scurried in through their bedroom and out onto the balcony, carrying a large tray. He uncovered the dish to reveal several plates of food.

"Did you just let yourself into our bedroom?" Ichigo asked incredulously, but the nervous server didn't seem to notice his question.

He set two plates in front of Ichigo loaded with a variety of meats and vegetables and another pair of plates in front of Rukia.

"This looks wonderful," she complimented. "Thank you, Hanataro."

The younger man blushed at being thanked. "Here you go, Miss Rukia. Your dish is an assortment of dumplings and carefully crafted Chappy cake. I'll excuse myself for now, but I'll be back later to make the last delivery of the night." He bowed before stepping away.

"Chappy cake?" Rukia wondered aloud once Hanataro had left their room again.

Ichigo shrugged, mouth full of food already. "You ordered dumplings that one day we were studying before the interviews, remember? The cake was just the dessert that came with it; I don't really know anything else about it."

Blushing slightly, she pulled the plastic Chappy toy off the top of the cake and set it by her plate.

"It's certainly cute," she said lightly.

"Yeah, well," Ichigo started awkwardly. "It looks better if we choose things that the other person likes, right? That's all I was trying to do."

"Of course," Rukia agreed quickly. "That's what I was doing too."

"Good." Ichigo nodded, unsure of what to say next.

"Good." The petite woman echoed quietly, suddenly shy. "I do also want to say thank you for the other day, with the challenge. We probably wouldn't be moving on this week if it wasn't for you."

"It was nothing," Ichigo waved off her gratitude. "That's why I'm here in the first place. You're pretty light anyway, midget. It wasn't that hard."

Rukia's eyes narrowed, shyness evaporated. "Don't call me that."

"Whatever you say, _sweetheart_," Ichigo cooed obnoxiously.

"Just forget I ever said anything nice to you, ok? I'm starting to regret it," Rukia groaned, turning away from the table to look out over the edge of the balcony.

It was late in the day and the sun had started to set, bathing the couple and the bedroom behind them in a soft pink light.

Ichigo was silent, unable to find a comeback, but taking advantage of the opportunity to study the woman across from him as she looked away. _She is sort of attractive after all..._

Violet eyes flicked over in his direction, looking suspicious. "What?"

"Nothing," Ichigo shook his head. "Just thinking about the next part of the night."

"The nightwear?" Rukia quickly turned to look at him, blushing red.

"I hope you picked out something nice for me." The taller man chuckled.

Rukia scoffed, rolling her eyes. "You better not have chosen anything perverted."

Ichigo shrugged innocently. "I guess we'll have to see, won't we?"

.

"You really think this is all being recorded?" Rukia asked quietly, arms crossed shyly in front of her chest. The couple had finished with dinner and already changed into their designated outfits for the night.

Ichigo, comfortably sprawled out on the bed in a pair of black boxers, looked over at her as she sat down next to him. "Why, you nervous?"

"No," she snapped. "A real actress is comfortable in any role."

"Oh, good," he commented off-handedly. "Then you can take off the robe and show me the outfit I picked out?"

Rukia took a long, deep breath before sighing in defeat. "You really thought that this is what I would have chosen for myself?"

Removing the robe revealed a silky purple tank top and shorts set. While not explicitly revealing, it was certainly more revealing than the cozy yellow pajama set she had been wearing to bed up until this point.

Ichigo grinned, taking a moment to admire the woman across the room. "I assure you I could've chosen something much worse."

Rukia shot him a look. "You haven't said anything about my choice for you."

Ichigo looked down at the boxers he was wearing, considering them for a moment. "They're not very exciting, but this is what I would've chosen to wear."

"You're welcome." Rukia responded shortly, folding the discarded robe and placing it on a chair by their bed. "Enjoy it while you can."

A confused frown formed on the man's face. "What does that mean?"

As if to answer his question, a loud knock sounded on the door. Without waiting for anyone to answer, Hanataro let himself in, carrying a large box.

"Last delivery of the night!" He announced cheerfully before catching sight of Rukia. The man blushed, suddenly sheepish. "Miss Rukia, you look beautiful. I'm sorry to barge in like this, but I brought the item you requested."

Rukia's cheeks tinged pink as well and she cleared her throat in an attempt to sound professional. "That's very kind, Hanataro. I appreciate you going to the extra effort."

Fed up with being left out, and slightly jealous, Ichigo finally spoke up, "Why are you here? I thought we were done for the day."

"I can explain," The shorter man jumped, quickly averting his gaze from Rukia's pajama-clad form. "Miss Rukia chose two options for tonight, which normally isn't allowed," Hanataro stammered nervously, "but I know her heart was in the right place so I went out and got the second choice anyway."

He presented the box to Ichigo. The orange-haired man took it cautiously and opened it to discover fluffy orange fabric inside.

"What the hell is this?" He asked as he pulled it out.

Rukia grinned. "Your pajamas for tonight! Don't you like them?"

In his hands, Ichigo held out a lion-shaped onesie. "You're kidding."

"Not at all!" Hanataro chimed in. "Miss Rukia was quite excited about this option. I'm sure the judges will be happy that you're continuing to prove your love after your feat in the challenge this week."

"I love her to death, all right." Ichigo resigned himself to his fate, unwilling to protest with Hanataro and the judges potentially watching from afar. He reluctantly pulled the one-piece pajamas on.

"Great!" Hanataro exclaimed. "I'll leave you two for the night then. Good night, Miss Rukia!"

.

"Hanataro certainly seems smitten," Ichigo remarked snidely, still unhappily clad in the lion onesie. "You should stop encouraging him."

Rukia chuckled softly on the bed beside him. "You think so? It is nice to hear him say that I'm beautiful all the time though." She looked at the man out of the corner of her eye.

But there was no response from the man on the bed beside her. He pulled on the fuzzy hood of the pajamas uncomfortably. "Sorry, did you say something? I can't hear anything with this mane in my ears."

His smart grin gave him away, and Rukia rolled her eyes. "You might as well take it off if you're going to be so annoying about it."

"Impatient to get my clothes off, are we?" Ichigo rolled over so he was on his stomach and pulled the petite woman toward him. "Don't forget we're putting on a show tonight," he whispered into the crook of her neck.

Rukia inhaled sharply at his warm breath on her sensitive skin before relaxing into his embrace. "One poor decision on my part and you turn into a wild animal," she teased, tugging playfully at the furry orange mane.

Ichigo smirked. "I think this is exactly the outcome you were hoping for."

.

Later that night, after they had both fallen asleep, moonlight trickled into the room. It highlighted the lion-inspired pajamas strewn on the floor and Rukia's cell phone on the nightstand. The phone vibrated for a moment before falling silent again. Unanswered, the caller id read "KAIEN."

**Elimination**

"Once again, everyone's least favorite part of the week!" Urahara lamented as the couples filed onto the stage.

Softly leaning against the taller man beside her, Rukia let her fingers nervously interlace with Ichigo's as they waited to hear the results. _Only 3 couples left after tonight..._

.

"It's not fair!" Orihime protested, tears welling in her eyes, loudly displeased at being the couple to go home this week.

Uryuu put his arm around her and tried to console her quietly.

"So sorry to see you both go!" The host announced once the three remaining couples had taken their place off to the side. "It's been a pleasure having you join us these past few weeks, but it's time that we focus on what's to come!"

A hush fell over the audience as Urahara got ready to reveal the next theme. "Ladies and Gentlemen, pause for dramatic effect, we all know our couples are capable of whispering sweet nothings to each other after last night." He looked pointedly over his shoulder at the couples standing behind him.

Ichigo squeezed Rukia's petite hand, silently enjoying the embarrassment radiating from her pink cheeks.

"So!" Urahara waved his hand in the air. "Let's see how they get through the week without talking to each other at all! Next week's theme is: Communication!"

.

"Urahara..."

"Yes, my darling co-judge?" Urahara whirled around to face Dr. Yoruichi.

"You can't keep throwing the microphone on the ground after every closing ceremony. The sound people are upset with you."

Urahara looked at his empty hand in confusion and then at the black microphone by his feet. "Oh, you mean those are real?"

* * *

This was the last chapter that I had entirely pre-written, which means that updates will probably be slow from this point on. I'd love to hear about your theories for what may happen next! Or just what you did and didn't like :) See you next chapter!


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